direct limb reply indicated in the fiscal cliff talks but it is relevant to the larger issue of debt and deficits. the treasury can move money around in certain ways to extend the point where we actually reach a crisis for probably a couple of months. but this is an early warning sign. secondly, republicans in the house sent word to democrats in the senate, white house, it is your turn now. we acted to put off the fiscal cliff several months ago with a bill that without objection tend all of those bush tax rates into the future and would turn off the sequester by switching defense cuts over to domestic programs. democrats, of course have no intention of doing that. especially after president obama won the election. senate democratic leadership aide tells me that will remains a 50/50 chance we will get a mini deal temporary extension of tax cuts under $250,000 before the january 1 deadline when we would go over the cliff. will are no assurances of that. a white house official told me as president obama prepares to fly back to conduct and participate in the negotiations at the end, the